For the residents of Kapiri Mposhi, Zambia, the global competition between the United States and China is right at their doorstep. Both countries have selected the town as an endpoint for their African regional railroad projects, making it the nexus from which American and Chinese tracks will diverge. The people of Kapiri Mposhi are, quite literally, facing a fork in the road, and the path they choose will have real consequences for the Sino-American race for influence. For America to win in the world, it must invest in the diplomatic and development tools necessary to show them—and the rest of the world— why America should be the partner of choice.

The State of Play in Africa

With nearly half the world’s reserves of critical minerals like cobalt and manganese, six of the top ten fastest growing economies, and an overwhelmingly young population set to contribute half of all global labor force entrants by 2030, it is no exaggeration to say that Africa is the future. Despite the United States’ historical support for African development, China has been vying to supplant America as the continent’s top supporter. The centerpiece of Beijing’s effort, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), has enabled China to secure partnerships and resources from African nations through its support of transportation, infrastructure, and energy projects. As a result, while the U.S. was the preferred trading partner for 65% of African countries just two decades ago, 97% of African nations now trade more with China than the United States.

Recognizing this dynamic, America has been working to strengthen its own position in Africa through a variety of projects, including the rehabilitation of the Lobito Corridor Railroad. The endeavor aims to strengthen mineral supply chains by connecting resource hubs in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to the Atlantic via Angola, while also differentiating the United States from China by funding economic development initiatives along the corridor. However, just as the United States announced the Lobito Corridor project, China announced its plans to rehabilitate the Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA) heading from the same resource hubs in Zambia and the DRC towards the Indian Ocean, opening yet another front of Sino-American competition on the continent.

The Strategic Value of International Assistance

While projects like the Lobito Corridor may seem distant and abstract, they have real and direct benefits for America’s national and economic security. On the national security side, dampening China’s influence in Africa improves America’s strategic posture relative to Beijing. The minerals at the heart of this contest are also crucial for defense technology, making it even more important that they be placed on U.S.-bound trains.

Regarding economic benefits, the DRC and Zambia’s status as the top African producers of copper holds great promise for American companies that need the metal to produce the batteries in vehicles, cellphones, and countless other devices. Moreover, stimulating African economies unlocks investment opportunities and new markets, which spurs employment and economic activity at home—as shown by the roughly 450,000 U.S. jobs already linked to U.S.-Africa trade.

These benefits are not unique to the Lobito Corridor. Throughout the world, American international assistance has won fairer business conditions for U.S. companies, stopped security threats in their tracks, and established strategic alliances—all while saving lives. This is how strategic investments in international assistance deliver real results for the American people.

The Road Ahead

America must strengthen its diplomatic and development toolkit, especially when China is playing to win. China plans to continue increasing its diplomatic footprint, as evidenced by its investment in a $2.15 billion railway linking Tanzania and Burundi to the port of Dar es Salaam. Long in the planning stages, this project has only recently broken ground and could significantly increase China’s access to rare earth minerals critical to U.S. national and economic security. With the stakes so high, every dollar invested in international assistance is a strategic investment in America’s future.